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Investment is Child’s Play for Belfast City Council

Investing in the future is child’s play for Belfast City Council - it has spent £4.5 million on 49 playgrounds across the city.

The Playground Improvement Programme has been running since 2012/13 and the council has just announced work, worth £580,000 on another five playgrounds – work on the first of these begins this month.

Among the playgrounds marked for work this year are Glenbank; Duncairn Community Centre; Barnett’s Demense; Fullerton Park; and Orangefield Park. The Department for Communities is also providing funding towards work at Hammer,Glenbank, Duncairn and Orangefield.

Alderman Jim Rodgers, Chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, said: “The Playground Improvement Scheme is part of our £325 million Capital Investment Programme that has seen major improvements in facilities across Belfast.

“These include the new outdoor facilities at Olympia Leisure Centre and the ongoing work for new outdoor sports and leisure facilities at Brook in the west of the city.

“Over the last six years the Playground Improvement Programme has made a significant impact on the overall quality of Belfast’s playgrounds, greatly improving accessibility, providing new inclusive equipment, safety surfacing, boundary fencing, site furniture and landscaping works.

“Play facilities are now more inviting, inclusive and exciting places for children and parents to visit,” added Alderman Rodgers.

“The investment also contributes to the aims of the Belfast Agenda – our long-term development plan for the city – which aims to improve life for those living in, working or visiting Belfast,” said the Alderman.

Play Services Ireland, an independent organisation providing quality ratings for play areas has rated 92 per cent of the playgrounds operated by Belfast City Council as good or excellent.

A Department for Communities Spokesperson said: “The Department is contributing a total of £369,000 to the Hammer, Glenbank, Duncairn and Orangefield projects. This is a further example of central and local government collaborating to improve the life outcomes of citizens in some of our most deprived communities through creating places where people will want to live, work, play and invest